ASSU latest: Dons suspend strike action, but no dice

• NASU, SSANU, NAAT shut gates, classrooms …Ask parents to keep wards for safety • Warn FG: Don't dare us!

AGONIES of the university undergraduates and their parents may linger for much longer following the discordant notes from the workers of the affected institutions, National Daily can reveal. Despite the latest deal with the Federal Government that seemingly snapped the cord which since June 22, 2009 bonded the various branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) together in a strike, and their weekend suspension of action, technically, the gates of most tertiary institutions in the country still remain shut. Whereas ASSU promised a two weeks truce and resumption of lectures to create room for more dialogue, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) has vowed to keep the classrooms under key and locks.

NASU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) , at the weekend warned the Federal Government against reopening the institutions without negotiating with them. On the other hand, they warned parents and guardians against risking the lives of their children and ward because campuses remain shut.

“We want to warn the government seriously not to recall students into the campuses because we don't want to have casualties in our hands in that without light, water, library service, security and other essential services the situation could lead to chaos.

"We are surprised at the unilateral action of the Federal Government to terminate the agreement reached with the four unions two and half years. It was based on this that the Joint Action Committee of the three unions directed that their members to embark on massive protest to sensitise the people against preferential treatment meted to them.

The latest turn of event has further heightened fear of explosion in criminality and cultism among Nigerians. Though the government succeeded in securing a deal with ASUU, its failure to carry the other three unions along will scuttle the peaceful atmosphere in the campus stakeholder have said.

Speaking with National Daily last week, the National Co-Chairman of NASU, Comrade Peter Adeyem, who frowned at the government one-sided negotiation with ASUU, however explained that the strike by the union could only be suspended after the planned consultation with its branches to reach a consensus on the matter.
“I cannot single-handedly declare the stand of the union, we will have consultation with other members of the union to take a stance, so until that time, the strike will is still ongoing.”

The other sister unions in the struggle for better condition and qualitative education NASU, SSANU, and NAAT, decided to press ahead with the strike action to protest their exclusion from the negotiation between government and ASUU.

It would be recalled that NASU, SSANU and NAAT , Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) branch, last week staged warning protest against government's refusal to dialogue with them on the protracted crisis rocking tertiary institutions.

The workers locked up the university's gate against members of the university community and visitors insisting that their action was to sensitise members of the public on the danger the students would face if the government and ASUU announce the resumption date without addressing pressing issues involving them.

While castigating the administration of President Musa Umar Yar' Adua for attempting to cause disunity among the staff unions, the unions cautioned that ASUU's members would not have place to stay if they continue with the negotiation with government without other three unions.

Remi Adetoro, Bayo Aderonmu and Alofe Kayode who spoke on behalf of SSANU, NASU and NAAT respectively, called on the government to reopen negotiations with the three unions along ASUU so as to address the offending issues once and for all.

Adetoro cautioned that discrimination should not be introduced into the Nigerian university system, adding that without one union, the others cannot function effectively.

The union in a 1981 agreement established the principle of collective bargaining as a platform to fight for salaries and conditions of service of academic staff; funding and the roles of Pro-Chancellors and other functionaries associated with the running of universities.

The 1992 and 1999 agreements highlighted issues, such as autonomy, academic freedom, academic allowances and conditions of service.

ASUU came up with the 2001 agreement as a result of the need to reverse the decay of infrastructure in the system and brain drain. To achieve this feat, the union advocated increased funding up to the 26 per cent recommended by United Nations Education , Scientific and Cultural Organisation(UNESCO).

The document recommended that implementation should be based on a three-year budget estimate which could be reviewed once in three years and re-negotiated if there were problems with implementation.

The Federal Government had on August 11, said there would be no further negotiations with ASUU until the union returned to work. It is holding onto a part of the agreement which its negotiation team, headed by Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, said conflicts with Federalism. The government said it could not sign the agreement because of "the principle of collective bargaining", saying it could not compel state governments to pay stipulated salaries.

The states have also said they would not align with any such agreement. A day after the Federal Government pulled out of the strike, governors warned that they would sue the federal authority if it signs a deal with the ASUU.
At the National Economic Council in Abuja, the spokesman for the Governors, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State said: “If the Federal Government sign the agreement state governments may not be able to pay the pay, hence state governments were not ready for federal to decide on behalf of states

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